and the One who walks with me on it.

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Is it pouring yet?

       It’s been a bad physically painful week for me in which I was unable to do much of anything.  My son (barely a legal adult) moved into an apartment downtown with his half brother on Monday because he was/ is making very poor choices.  My Mom started calling me at 6:30ish on Friday morning uncertain if she should go to a clinic, the hospital, or just wait it out at home because she had symptoms which were concerning but didn’t seem critical.  I suggested she try for an appointment at 8am when her doctor’s office was open.  Eventually she gets through but her doctor wasn’t available.  I suggested a clinic that has an ecg machine in case.

       On the way to pick her up I heard that gift cards can be exchanged for money at those ‘cash your cheques for fee’ places, but you get only half the worth of the card.  This means there is no way to guarantee the person you give the card too won’t cash it out and spend the money on addictions.  I got angry at man’s greed when I heard a news flash about a house explosion late Thursday on the same block my boys live on.  Ummm…  After I parked at Mom’s I called hubby to call the boys and make sure they were okay- which they were though they slept elsewhere for the night (due to concerns).

       (Signed in at 9:30am-ish.) We spent three hours at the clinic before Mom even saw a doctor, at which point she got a brief check of lungs and heart before she was told to go get a chest x-ray.  The doc said water was shown in her lungs and put her on the ecg.  Not long after she was put on oxygen to calm her heart as it was beating irregularly and fast (120 to 170).  They called the ambulance to pick her up around 1:20pm.  At the hospital, they strapped her to various machines and an intern came in asking questions, but we didn’t see a doctor until after 5pm when he ordered another chest x-ray.

       Then after 8pm the doctor finally spoke to us using the term atrial fibrillation- the top of the heart was in fibrillation causing the bottom of the heart to get mixed signals therefore beating irregularly and fast.  He left after that.  Mom was in good temperament except for being really hungry as neither of us had eaten all day and the hospital wouldn’t allow her to eat or drink.

       They decided not to shock the heart back into normal rhythm but to administer some drugs to calm it down, other drugs to get the water in her lungs out and to admit her until further tests could be done.  She got a room by 9:30pm and was settled in by 10pm- all in all, a long day for us.  My sister had arrived by 8:30 from out of town so I was able to be relieved after Mom was settled in.  We didn’t see another doctor until today at 4pm-ish, who explained more, finally mentioning congestive heart failure*.  Scary words… I guess we will live at the hospital for a few days.

       But God is good and able to strengthen us in times like these.  We actually laughed a lot in the hospital- Mom, three daughters and neighbour patient.  Mom was able to speak face to face over the phone with distant family which is so cool.  Later tonight, a cute male nurse came in giving the two patients something to look forward to!  We’re not sure how long she’ll be in the hospital, but at least until the tests on Monday (if they have time) and when her heart is better in control.
 
       Scary times, scary troubles, and scary words but none of this is scaring me because I walk with the One who brings peace to my heart and soul.  He is always with me, He’ll take care of Mom and only He knows her length of days and state of heart--- and He won’t ever stop working in her life, or mine.  It might be raining or even pouring, but my Lord and Savior is with us.  “My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart, and my part forever.(Ps. 73:26)  I can’t ask for more except that God would not allow Mom to leave this flesh until she is His.

       Life never gets easier but it will surely get better for those who love and serve Jehovah God and Jesus Christ His Son.  One day we will see Him face to face (Rv. 22:3,4) in new immortal bodies (Php. 3:21; 1Cr. 5:42-44) in a place where sin, sickness and corruption will never be, and no one will ever suffer or die ever again (Rv. 20:14; 21:4,27).  There we will live in peace and joy with our Savior and King forever.  What an awesome hope we have…

Is it pouring yet?
   Yes, it is pouring God’s love out into our lives if we will only open up our arms to receive it.


*Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart isn't able to pump blood normally. As a result, there is not enough blood flow to provide the body's organs with oxygen and nutrients. The term "heart failure" does not mean that the heart stops beating completely, but that the heart is not working as efficiently.
-systolic dysfunction occurs when the heart can't pump enough blood to supply all the body's needs
-diastolic dysfunction occurs when the heart cannot accept all the blood being sent to it